


Tailors, Past and Present

by PerpetuaLilium



Series: DS9 Christmas vignettes [2]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Banter, Beatrix Potter - Freeform, Book Recommendations, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Lunches with Garak, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:41:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28345566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerpetuaLilium/pseuds/PerpetuaLilium
Summary: For his Christmas Day lunch with Dr. Bashir, Garak reads "The Tailor of Gloucester." What does he think of it?
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Series: DS9 Christmas vignettes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077800
Kudos: 24





	Tailors, Past and Present

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't a Christmas present for anybody in particular, but I have many friends who I think will enjoy it. Love you guys. <3

"So merrily march the merchantmen," said Garak in that sarcastic little way of his. _"Are_ there merchants in London any longer, my dear Doctor?"

"I don't believe so," Julian said, "but there are certainly still tailors in Gloucester."

"Yes, I should hope so! Even in this day and age, a man like the Mayor of Gloucester would not have been able to get married in that beautiful coat without a specialist to help him with it."

"Just so." Julian smiled at Garak over his bowl of plomeek soup. "I'm glad you liked the story, Garak."

"Oh, I just loved it. I'm always so interested to hear about your human holidays--especially when they come from religions that aren't widely practiced any longer. Although isn't Chief O'Brien still a Christian of sorts?"

"Of sorts, yes, as, I believe, is Keiko," said Julian. "I'm not, of course. And Christmas nowadays certainly isn't the same stylized religious affair it was for many on Earth in Beatrix Potter's time."

"I should think not," said Garak. "Fascinating nonetheless that the holiday has survived the way it has when, for instance, baseball hasn't. I wonder how Commander Sisko feels about that. I can't imagine he's very happy about it."

Julian shook his head. "I'm sure he isn't, although he does like Christmas a good deal more than the Bajoran Gratitude Festival."

"Don't let Major Kira hear you saying that!"

"I wont."

"Another thing that fascinated me about this story is the--what did you call it, Doctor? The 'beast-fable' aspect of it?" Julian nodded. "We have those stories too on Cardassia, for children," Garak said, "although a key point in Cardassian beast-fable is that it is among animals much the same as it is among men and women. As a boy I often read a story about the voles and their state-within-a-state, complete with a Vole Central Command."

"And a Vole Obsidian Order?" Julian asked.

"My dear Doctor, _no,_ not in a _children's book!"_ Garak said, feinging outrage. "We had take-your-child-to-work day for that."

Julian laughed a little, and said again, "I really am glad you liked the story, Garak. Maybe next year we can read 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.' Or even 'The Dead.'"

"I would be happy to," said Garak, "on one condition: Between this year and next, I would like you to at least _try_ to get through _The Never-Ending Sacrifice 2: Obligation to the State."_

"You've got a deal," said Julian, and excused himself to go over to the replicator for another mug of cocoa.


End file.
